South Korea’s birth rate has dropped throughout much of the past decade, spelling trouble for the military as regional threats and global conflicts simmer.

In a speech to mark the 80th anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japanese colonial rule, Lee said he would restore the so-called September 19 Comprehensive Military Agreement,

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung pledged to "respect" North Korea's political system and said Seoul would not seek unilateral reunification in a speech to mark Liberation Day.